The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-01

Ere love Is past forgiving,
To take the tender lesson home
Be patient with the living.
- >---r-------
Romance in Finance.
A few days since a press dispatch
was sent over the country headed "Ro-
nance of Finance" The marvel was
that Southern man could be found
who was so iudiscreet as to hand over
to "Connecticut capitalist" million
or 80 of dollars of trust money. Ihey
didn't seem to know that that IS just
the way we do things down South.
Some Of us old folks knew at once that
the "Southern book keeper" was none
other than Mr.. George w. Williams,
of Charleston, and that the capitalist
was Mr.. Daniel Hand, of Connecticut.
Telegrams came thick and fast from
the north asking for the particulars OF
the transaction. 1t seems that Mr.;
Williams did not think that he had
done anything to excite such a hutter
in finance; he had merely faithfully
fulfilled q war trust. But to begin at
the beginning: Nearly half century
ago Mr.. Daniel Hand was merchant
in Augusta, Ga. Mr.. George w. Will
liams, a boy of II, from Nacoochee,
Ga; visited that city and was employ
ed by Mr.. Hand as clerk in his estao.
lishment. So faithful and diligent
was the mountain boy that at the age
of 2i he was made full partner-and
then and there was laid the foundation
of Mr.. Hands fortune OF two million
dollars.
In 1852 Mr.. Williams removed to
Charleston and established on Hayne
street the mammoth house OF George
w. Williams & Co. At the outbreak
of the war the firms trade extended
from. Virginia to Texas. Of the mil
lion of dollars, of gold value, due the
firm, it had to be collected in Confed-
crate currency, or not collected at all.
In short time the firm found their
life time work converted into Confed-
crate bonds and currency.
At the beginning of the war Mr.
Hand was in New York attending to
the purchase of supplies for the SOUTH
ern house, but as he was opposed to Sc,
cession he chose to remain there, ana
in 1851 withdrew from the firm OF
George w. Williams & Co. In the
meantime the war between the north
and south ragged: each section passed
the Seauestration Act. -,
Mr.. Williams, finding that his Ola
partners interests at the south would
be confiscated, requested Mr.. Hands
immediate return to Charleston. Fall
inc to get through the lines at Balti-
mere or Washington, Mr.. Hand took
the western route. On arriving at
New Orleans he was arrested and I'M
prisoned as a spy. Mr.. Williams tele-
graphed to the Governor of Louisiana,
Vouching for Mr.. Hands integrity;
he finally succeeded in getting Mr..
Hand out of prison, but he was sent
under guard for trial to Richmond,
Va, at that time the seat of the Con-
federate government. While passing
through Augusta, Ga, his old home,
the mayor found it necessary to send
Mr.. Hand to Jail, to keep him ont of
the hands of mob. Mr.. Williams
went to Augusta at once. and shared
Mr.. Hands quarters in the cold walls
of the jail until he secured his release.
After much trouble and expense he
was sent to Richmond and confined in
the Libby prison for three weeks. In
the meantime a vigorous suit was COM
menced in Charleston to sequestrate
Mr.. Hands interests. Mr.. Williams
had subsequently restored him to his
former position in the firm at cost to
himself of more than S25O,OO MIR.
Williams employed the best of coun..
sci, Hon. Henry Buist and others, and
after long contest the suit ended in
Mr.. Hands favor, and his interests in
the south were thus saved from confis-
cation.
AS South Carolina was not com
Portable home for one suspected OF
union sentiments, Mr.. Williams sent
his friend to Asheville, n. &. Before
leaving Charleston, Mr.. Hand cOnfid-
ed all his southern interests to the
man who had stood by him under such
trying circumstances, to be managed
as his own. Having been so severely
dealt with by the Confederate authori-
ties, he decided to 60 north at the first
opportunity, never to return.
During the early part of the war,
northern houses had furnished MIR.
Williams firm with goods. Knowing
that there was no law in the Confeder-
acy to enforce collections, they relied
entirely upon its honor for their secur-
ity and pay. Two cargoes of coffee
were also imported after the fall of
Sumter; one of these succeeded in
coming into port in October, 1861.
chased by the Federal gun boats. The
Confederates were thus supplied with
5000 bags of coffee. To provide for
the payment of these debts of honor,
and others, Mr.. Williams remitted to
Liverpool and London, 100000 ster-
ling exchange. When the war was
over, the debts due the north were
paid in full, with interest. During
the war Mr.. Williams furnished a
large amount of sterling exchange to
the Confederate government, to pur-
chase clothing for the soldiers. He
drew one draft on London for $4,000
in gold. He also contributed largely
to the support of the soldiers families
with food and clothing during the en-
tire war.
AS has been stated, Mr.. Williams
and his partners fortune had gone into
Confederate money, with a fair pros
pect of almost total loss, as Confeder-
ate money was daily depreciating in
t. fh;s apoarronov Mr. Wil-